The Café Competition
by oxEmmaxo
Summary: AU. Cilan and Burgundy are both café owners working on the same street. But when Burgundy realises that her rival's café is more popular than hers, how far will she go for revenge? And as she finds that her feelings for him are more than the heated façade that she hides behind, will something more blossom from their rivalry? SommelierShipping (Cilan x Burgundy)
1. Burgundy's Vow

Burgundy scowled as her eyes fell upon The Bittersweet Spice Café.

It was just across the street from her own café, The Trés Bon Parlour. She could see its owner, Cilan, inside as he waited on customers with his usual smile. _Her _customers.

Her fists clenched at her sides as she scanned the building, realising just how many customers he had taken from her.

It had been only a week since Burgundy had opened her café here, and yet only a handful of people had stepped foot beyond its doors. Cilan's place was packed whenever she looked. Even the people who passed her café continued straight to The Bittersweet Spice without a second glance. She just didn't understand what was so great about it!

He must have known that he was stealing all her customers. How could he not? He must have looked in the direction of The Trés Bon Parlour at least a few times, just as she had kept her eye on his, and noticed how empty it always was. He must know that he was the sole reason for her lack of customers. He must just simply not care. In fact, he probably enjoyed watching her business fail!

Burgundy ground her teeth together, glare intensifying as her eyes darted angrily around her own depressingly empty café. It was then that she decided it was time to take action. No matter what, she would have revenge against Cilan for trying to ruin her dream of owning the most well-known and successful café in town. She vowed it.

A few minutes later, Burgundy heard the chime signalling that someone had entered the café. She was stunned. Could it actually be...a customer?

Immediately she turned and strode briskly toward the door and gave a slight bow to the well-dressed young woman standing there.

"Excuse me, is this-" the woman began, but Burgundy interrupted her.

"Right this way, please." Before the woman could say another word she was being ushered to the seat in the farthest corner of the café, the one normally reserved for only the finest customers.

"So, what would you like to order?" Burgundy flashed her best smile as she prepared to take down the order.

"Uh, I was actually wondering if this is the café Cilan works at…?"

Burgundy almost fell over.

"What? Cilan?!"

The woman seemed afraid of the fire burning in Burgundy's eyes. "Yes, um, I was looking for Cilan's café…"

While Burgundy fumed, the bell jingled once more and the woman's face lit up. "Cilan!" She stood and rushed to his side.

"Ah, so I was right. I thought I saw you come in here."

Burgundy stiffened and turned slowly, her face contorting as she caught sight of the man standing there.

"Y-you!" She pointed a trembling finger at him and he turned to face her, confused.

"Have we met before?" He seemed to be thinking hard as he looked her over. Burgundy tried not to blush at his eyes on her.

"Don't play dumb with me, Cilan!" She narrowed her eyes at him in a harsh glare.

"In case you hadn't noticed, this café is empty! And it's all your fault for stealing my customers!"

Cilan's brow furrowed. "I'm sorry about your café, but I don't recall ever stealing any of your customers."

"Liar!"

He paused a moment, considering. "This is a new café, isn't it?"

"What does it matter to you?" Burgundy spat, crossing her arms.

Another pause. "How long has it been open?"

She hesitated, looking anywhere but at him. "About a week. Do you have a problem with that?"

"I'm thinking that the reason for your lack of customers is simply that no one knows about this café yet."

Cilan glanced around the café once more before continuing. "I'm sure that if you try decorating and promoting this place a bit more, you'll have plenty of customers in no time." He smiled at her, that same smile he always used when greeting customers at The Bittersweet Spice, and Burgundy's glare intensified.

"Who do you think you are, telling me how to run my own café?!" she snapped.

Cilan just looked confused. "I'm sorry, I was just trying to help-"

"Get out, right now!" Burgundy growled.

"Yes, of course." Cilan gave a slight bow before he made his way to the door, his female customer (who should have been _hers_) following closely behind. But while she hurried out of the café, Cilan hesitated at the entrance.


	2. The Literal Façade

The following day, Burgundy found her eyes drawn to The Bittersweet Spice once again.

"Stupid Cilan," she muttered, watching him go about his daily business in the café.

She hadn't forgotten about her plans for revenge, oh no. But for some reason she couldn't quite understand, she had felt an urge to open her own café despite these plans. There was just something comforting about seeing that green head of his every morning…

She shook her head furiously, angry with herself for having such thoughts. As if that imbecilé could be anything other than a nuisance! She should be focussing on getting rid of him, not..._that_.

With that thought, she made sure she was ready to execute her plan before she quickly and quietly closed and locked up The Trés Bon Parlour. Though he wouldn't see it (or recognise her even if he did), Burgundy directed a menacing smile at the ever-smiling man across the street.

"You're going to pay, Cilan."

~*~

Burgundy hovered in the entrance to The Bittersweet Spice, disguised by the distinctly male outfit she wore along with a respectable grey wig and fake moustache. After this, that _connard_ chef would surely regret messing with her!

With precise, even steps that betrayed nothing of her true intentions, Burgundy walked casually into the café, completely ignoring Cilan, and took a seat in the middle of the room - where she would be most easily heard when the right moment came.

Moments later the green-haired man turned and noticed her sitting there. She tried to ignore the dazzling smile he sent her way, reminding herself that she wasn't there as Burgundy right then, but she could feel the faintest of blushes creep onto her cheeks.

He was at her table in an instant and, with the close proximity, she had to fight to contain her blush.

"Good morning, sir," he greeted cheerfully, beaming at her. Burgundy had just opened her mouth to inform him that _no_, he was_wrong_, and how dare he call her _sir_ - before she remembered.

Recovering quickly, she tried to deepen her voice as she replied. "Y-yes, good morning." Damn that stutter!

After a moment, Cilan's bright smile became a slight frown as he began to study her closely. Burgundy panicked and could do nothing more than stare straight ahead, anywhere but at him, and will the redness in her cheeks to disappear. What if he recognised her? She bit her lip and tried to ignore it.

He studied her a moment longer before he straightened and smiled, and somehow that was all Burgundy needed to regain her composure. Though it pained her, she forced herself to smile back at him. It was to keep up the disguise, and nothing more, she assured herself. At least he hadn't seen through her act.

"What would you like to order?" he inquired, and he was still smiling at her (though she couldn't manage to keep up her own smile for much longer). She looked over the menu briefly before giving Cilan her order, which he quickly took down. Just as he was about to leave, he turned back to face her with an expression she couldn't quite place.

"You should smile more often, Burgundy. It suits you well, as icing suits a freshly baked cake."

Again, she only fully registered what he had said once she had already opened her mouth. For a moment she sat, frozen, before she stood and swiftly revealed her own face and usual outfit beneath the disguise.

"Zut! You found me out." Her words were clipped and harsh as she spoke, glaring. "You think you're so perfect, that the great Cilan can do _everything..._" She stopped mid-rant to draw in a sharp breath, and at that moment she realised something.

"Quoi?! How do you know my name?"

"I made an effort to learn it." He was smiling again, that stupid, idiotic, lovely smile of his, and Burgundy wanted to tear his face off. "You and I will be seeing a lot of each other. I'm sure of it. We are working alongside each other, after all," he elaborated, much too cheerfully. "It only makes sense that I would want to get to know you better."

"Liar! You just want to get rid of me!" Her voice was quickly rising in pitch and intensity as she glared at Cilan.

"Burgundy, that's not true. Please don't be angry-"

"Don't be angry? How can I not be angry?! You're ruining my life!"

She was attracting attention now; in The Bittersweet Spice, every head was turned in their direction.

And, Burgundy noted with disdain, almost all of those heads belonged to females. Many of whom wore expressions almost as fierce as Burgundy's, and who were glaring at her with near-murderous intent.

She turned her attention back to Cilan and gave a bitter smile.

"You need to control your fangirls," she told him in a mocking tone. "Their presence is like the unwanted flies at an extravagant banquet. And yours is the most irritating of all!"

Before anyone could react - not those stupid fangirls and certainly not Cilan himself - she stormed out of the café and took off down the street, looking for somewhere to calm down.

She smirked at the thought of the disruption she had caused in his The Bittersweet Spice. Just picturing the looks on their faces was enough to keep her anger at bay. Even the fact that she had been found out didn't bother her at that moment.

She would have the last laugh, now and always.


End file.
